## Transmitting Japan's unique fish-eating culture and rich waters supporting such culture to future generations

- Through the accumulation of wisdom and knowledge obtained in eating habits centering on fish, Japan’s unique “fish-eating culture” has developed.

- With the growing trend showing a shift away from fish in recent years, the opportunities to enjoy a wide variety of fishery products caught in the waters surrounding Japan have decreased. The shift away from domestic fishery products may thus lead to a decline in the Japanese “fish-eating culture” and the fisheries industry.

Although Japan’s surrounding waters were originally rich fishing grounds, various problems have occurred, including a decrease in resources, underwater plant beds and tidelands as well as a shortage of fishery workers. The impact of global environmental changes, such as global warming, is also a matter of concern.

- It is important to enhance the production capacity of the sea and make sustainable use of its blessings without waste. The linkage of woods, rivers and the sea, as well as “collaboration” among fishermen, distributors, consumers and the government would enhance synergy effects.

## ☑ Promoting the restoration and management of low-level fishery resources, and developing processing, distribution and consumption policies in order to secure a stable supply of fishery products

- Nearly half the resources in Japan’s surrounding waters are at low levels. It is necessary to steadily implement resource restoration plans.

It is necessary to improve the living environment for aquatic animals and plants in sea and inland waters.

Japan is a top importer of fishery products, but the import volume is on the decline, whereas Japan's export value of fishery products is on the increase. Efforts are being made to increase exports.

- It is necessary to intensify the functions of both the fish landing area and consumer area markets, and to reduce the fishery product supply cost.

- It is important to secure the safety of fishery products, improve their labeling, and promote the spread of fish-eating culture and fish-eating education.

## ☑ Promoting international resource management in waters, including the high seas, and promoting international cooperation

- It is important to promote fishing operations based on bilateral agreements and resource management through regional fisheries management organizations. It is also important to intensify control over illegal operations conducted by foreign fishing vessels.

## Securing fishery operators’ business management stability, and developing a vigorous working environment for fisheries

- There has been a progressive decline in the number of fishery workers and they are increasingly aging. It is necessary to promote the recruitment of new workers as well as the new entry of workers from other industries. It is also important to foster future fishery workers and develop a vigorous working environment for fisheries.

- New business management stabilization measures are introduced to stabilize fishery operators’ business management.

## ☑ Improving the living environment and the anti-disaster capacity of fishing villages, and realizing vigorous fishing villages by exploiting fishery resources and displaying multiple functions of the fisheries industry

It is important to improve the living environment and intensify the anti-disaster capacity of fishing villages.

- It is important to promote the development of vigorous fishing villages by exploiting local resources and displaying multiple functions of the fisheries industry and fishing villages.